The biggest little word in the English dictionary must be the word “if”. “If” changes negatives into positives and positives into negatives. A verse in Romans observes, “If God be for us who can be against us?” Certainly we would like for God to be for us, but the little word “if” makes it clear that God may not be for us, and, in fact, He may actually be against us. God can change from the one to the other. How can this happen? It depends upon our obedience to His will.
For example, Solomon certainly had God for him when he was young and conscientiously obeying the commandments of God. Solomon’s father David admonished his son before he ever became king by saying, “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. “Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong, and do it.”
So that big little word “if” determined whether or not God would be with Solomon. God’s help depended upon Solomon seeking God. We know that in the early years of his reign, Solomon did seek God and God really was for him. After Solomon had built the temple as God had commanded him to do, “the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father”
But as we know, the story of Solomon did not end on this high note, for we read, “Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did outlandish women cause to sin.” “Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.”
“And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.”
So now God, who was for Solomon, turned against him. The “if” is a very real if, and sadly, God will turn against us also if we turn away from Him.
Not only individuals, but the whole house of Israel forsook the Lord, with disastrous results. Isaiah speaks of the tender love of God towards Israel that ends so tragically. “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses. For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.”
We need to realize that God is only going to be for us if we obey Him. The Lord explains this principle very clearly through the words of the prophet Azariah to good king Asa: “And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.”
The lesson we all must remember is that God wants to be for us and He is not willing that any should perish. But God also will not force us to love and obey Him. If we choose to forsake our God and his laws, then He will turn and be our enemy. This happened to King Solomon and the nation of Israel, His chosen people, when they refused to obey His commandments.
The apostle John tells us, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” If we want God to love us and be with us in our lives, we must show our love for our God by obeying Him. Then the “if” of “If God be for us” will become a positive force for us. Jesus assures us, “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One